True New York experience

My wife, her brother and sister-in-law, and our four children (all in their late teens) stopped by Arturo's on a Tuesday evening between Christmas and New Years after a fun day in New York. The host gave us the two tables by the piano which we would soon learn were some of the best seats in the house. Jimmy the waiter took our order and we were off to a memorable experience. Soon, a piano player and a bass player (both from Japan) started to play some of the best jazz we've heard in a long time. All of our meals were excellent and served in a timely but not rushed manner. Jimmy would periodically tell us some stories about the restaurant and his experiences including how he met his wife who would come in and sit at the bar. All of a sudden, Jimmy "the Singing Waiter" took off his NY Mets hat and took the microphone after giving the piano player some instructions. He pointed out a family sitting by the front door and stated that they are returning "friends" from San Francisco. He then proceeded to sing a beautiful rendition of I Left My Heart in San Francisco for the family. This was one of those dinners that started out as a potentially average dinner at a randomly chosen location like many others I've had over the years and turned into a memorable experience like many others that I am now reading about in the reviews.

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140 out of 281 people found this review helpful.

Coal Fired Pizza??

My wife and I just happened to wander into Arturo's one afternoon and had a great conversation with Tony the bartender and a customer named Mike.
After hearing about the history of the restaurant we had to return the next evening for dinner.
Once again, we started at the bar before heading into the dining room where we shared a fantastic pasta dish with clams and mussels and the most amazing pizza I've had in 54 years!
We returned to the bar after dinner, had great conversation and made new friends.
Could not have been better.
Authentic.

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254 out of 471 people found this review helpful.

Home is where the Artruro are

In 1974 I was welcomed into the extended family of Arturo's Restaurant. The past forty years has changed most everything -- except Arturo's.
Arti and Betty are gone but Scotty, Lisa, Carol, Nico, Sofia, et al, are still there and the great food, honest drinks, other extended family members and great Jazz by Kayo and others never miss a beat.
If you love food, love people, love feeling at home while eating pizza, linguini with clam sauce, et cetera, et cetera, GO! You'll love Arturos.
I've been going back since that first time in July 1974.
Snar
P.S. And on Wednesday, July 10, I will celebrate Arthur and Arturo's.

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217 out of 399 people found this review helpful.

one of the great city restaurants

No pretensions. Good, hearty food. Terrific music (It's worth waiting to be seated in the room with the music.) Owners who constantly manage by walking around and who know a goodly number of the customers. Genuine neighborhood atmosphere because it is genuinely a neighborhood restaurant/bar. Fun to connect with the various characters: Jimmy the singing waiter, Tony at the bar, Lisa - one of the owners, Scotty - her brother, John - who has worked there for over 50 years, Moe - in the corner, Brother Joe - from the Franciscan church across the street, and many more. They take an interest in you if you want and they make return trips all the more worthwhile. We live upstate, three hours from the city. We visit the city about a dozen times a year and every time we simply have to include Arturo's in our visits.

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179 out of 352 people found this review helpful.

A true NYC experience

15 years ago backpacking around the globe from Oz my brothers ex NYC girl friend dragged me along to Arturo's. We arrived early at 4pm to get a seat at the bar and we left about 1am. It was one of those memorable moments in life you always hope to relive.
A few weeks ago, married I returned from Oz with my wife to relive the Arturo's moment and WOW, Arturo's had not changed a bit.
The food was fabulous, the wine stupendous and Tony the bar man..well this is what I consider to be the real NYC. To sit at the bar, jazz filling the air, red wine in hand and chatting to the locals who adore this iconic place they call home...a brilliant NYC experience...and that is the key word 'experience'. A whole lot of little moments that add up to a sensational NYC experience you will talk about for a very long time. Don't isolate the food, or wine, or music, or sense of place...take it all in..it will touch all the senses.
If you are lucky enough to go, sit at the bar and say hello to Moe in the corner for me. He is a legend. You wont forget this place and you'll leave on a real NYC high.

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171 out of 349 people found this review helpful.

Best Place to enjoy Good Food, Drinks and Friends

I have been going to Arturo's for 25 Years. My 3 daughters (twins 30 n 20 y/o) have grownup at Arturo's. All our friends have enjoyed numerous nights listening to the Jazz and having a meal at Arturo's. When you say you have come to New York City to see the sights Arturo's is one place that cannot be missed.

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274 out of 522 people found this review helpful.

GREAT!

I went to Arturo's for the first time this week. The staff are very pleasant, the food was delicious! I didnot get to taste their pizza but most customer ordered it and it lookd really good. I will definately go back and try their pizza. The jazz band was great, their prices are fair. I will recommend this place 2 anyone. Its not a super fancy place but a nice restaurant to go to on any given night just to hang out, eat good and feel right @ home.

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258 out of 513 people found this review helpful.

Real Italian and great music

I have been living in NY for 4 months from overseas and this was the most authentic Italian I have eaten in NY yet.
We started with the hot antipasto plate. It was so good (and large) that we started to feel full after it. We then had the chicken parmegania and pizza. Being a parmegania fanatic, this was fantastic. Be aware that the servings are also very generous (small pizza for 2 people is plenty).
The highlight though was the live jazz. They have a jazz band (with a singer), but locals and the staff jump onto the microphone and belt out tunes that would rival professionals.
Highly recommend!

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306 out of 608 people found this review helpful.